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Alaska-Yukon-Pacific ExpositionCentennial1909-2009
A curriculum project developed in partnership with
HistoryLink.org and Heritage 4Culture.
Courtesy Museum of History & Industry (Neg No. 1990.73.120)
On June 1, 1909, the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific (A-Y-P) Exposition opened in Seattle. It brought more than three million people
from around the world to the University of Washington campus to look at exhibits and enjoy amusements. Many people visited
it over and over because there was so much to see.
UW27926z
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg . UW27926z)
So here’s your chance to learn all about it. Now, grab a ticket…
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. Nowell x1275)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW9452)
Seattle had come a long way since pioneers first began to arrive in this land inhabited by the Duwamish in 1851 to build
homes and businesses.
to a bustling city in just 54 years.
Improved transportation to and from Seattle for people and freight made it possible for the city to grow.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. SEA2220)
Courtesy Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society (Neg. No. 1741-104)
Many smaller boats connected Seattle with ports on Puget
Sound and Lake Washington – so many that they were called
the Mosquito Fleet, like a swarm of mosquitoes.
Courtesy Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society (Neg. No. 695-3)
Oceangoing ships connected Seattle with Alaska, Asia,
and the world.
The Great Northern Railway opened the first transcontinental railroad terminal in Seattle in 1893.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. A. Curtis 05612)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. SEA2195)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. SEA2190)
Railroads connected Seattle to cities across the United States.
During this time, roads in and around Seattle were built or improved, which allowed for safer and smoother traveling
conditions.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Wilse 102C)
But the main reason for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest’s sudden growth and expansion was the discovery of gold in Alaska and along the Klondike River in Canada’s Yukon Territory. To get to the Yukon you had to go through Alaska.
Courtesy Museum of History & Industry (PEMCO Webster & Stevens Collection, Neg. No. 1983.10.PA5.27)
Seattle was the gateway to Alaska and to the Klondike goldfields.
Canada required prospective miners to take a ton of provisions with them when they went from Alaska into the Yukon. Most miners purchased the necessary
food and supplies here in Seattle.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No ADV0244)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No ADV0448)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No WAR0400)
Seattle businesses also prospered when miners
returned home.
Many of the lucky miners who found
gold in Alaska bought gifts for their families at local shops and
some even decided to start businesses here
themselves.
Courtesy M
useum of H
istory & Industry (N
eg. No. 1983.10.7669.3)
Courtesy U
W S
pecial Collections (N
eg. No. U
W1758)
Seattle was quickly becoming an important city. City leaders hoped that if they could encourage more people to come to this area to find jobs, buy homes, and
start businesses, that Seattle could become the principal city on the West Coast.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. A. Curtis 13395)
At the turn of the century, world’s fairs were a popular way to showcase industrial
advances and the special resources and
advantages of different regions.
Courtesy UW
Special Collections (Neg. N
o. A.YP987)
Why not hold a world’s fair in Seattle? It would be a great opportunity to inform people about what wonderful resources
and opportunities existed in the Pacific Northwest.
Organizers named the event the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition because they wanted to promote the resources of Alaska and of Canada’s Yukon Territory. They
also wanted to promote the importance of trade with Pacific
Rim countries.
Countries from around the world reserved space to exhibit their
resources. Some even built entire buildings. The A-Y-P was set to be a truly international, multicultural
event. Courtesy UW
Special Collections (Neg. N
o. UW
18947)
It would need enough land to
construct buildings for
exhibits.
It also needed to be in an area of the city that could be
reached from downtown.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW897)
The A-Y-P needed the perfect location.
They selected the wooded campus of the
University of Washington.
Situated on the shores of Lake Washington, it had a beautiful view of
Mount Rainier and a large forested area
mostly empty of buildings.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW20003z)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW26865)
People who lived in the Pacific Northwest quickly became excited about the upcoming A-Y-P and what
it could mean for continued growth in the
region.
On June 1, 1907, they broke ground, which
officially started the A-Y-P construction project.
You can see by the huge crowds that the A-Y-P was a highly anticipated event.
A-Y-P officials used a gold-colored pick
and shovel on Groundbreaking
Day. A man in the crowd asked them
to let one of the locals lend a hand
in the digging ceremony.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW27548)
Courtesy UW Special Collections, (Neg. No. AYP452)
The crowd then realized that it would like to have a souvenir of this important day too. People grabbing the small flags and other
decorations destroyed the stage!
As soon as he was handed the
gold-colored shovel, the man darted into the
crowd and disappeared.
The golden shovel was never seen
again!
Before long, workers began clearing trees from the
University of Washington campus.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW 11729)
A-Y-P organizers chose the Olmsted Brothers to
design the grounds because they were the
most respected landscape designers of
that time.
Views of Mount Rainier, Lake Washington, and Lake Union were used as focal points for the
design.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Digital ID No.PAM0151)
Some of the structures designed for the A-Y-P were built to be used as university classroom buildings after the fair.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x170
Other huge buildings, like the Government Building, were designed to be torn down after the 4½ month A-Y-P ended.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. ???)
People sent postcards to all parts of the United States to spread the word about the upcoming A-Y-
P.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW24311)
Publicity for the fair was very important.
School children helped by writing letters to schools across the United States telling
other children why they should convince their parents to come to the A-Y-P and bring them
along!
Courtesy United States Postal Service
There were articles written in
newspapers all over the world. According to this one, a French writer did “not seem
to be very well informed of the
exact location of Seattle although he
knows that it is somewhere along the Pacific Coast."
A-Y-P organizers asked artists to
submit ideas for an official A-Y-P logo that could be used
for all publicity, official publications, and fair souvenirs.
The winning design
was created by Adelaide Hanscom,
an artist and photographer who moved to Seattle
after the 1906 San Francisco
earthquake destroyed her studio there. She won $500
for first place.
The local streetcar system and the Northern Pacific Railroad
helped advertise the A-Y-P and how to get to Seattle and to the
fairgrounds.
Courtesy UW Special Collections
Courtesy UW Special Collections
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW23379)
Local businesses created small-scale advertisements featuring their products and passed
them out at the A-Y-P as souvenirs.
Some ads were more creative than others. This was a fold-up ad that promoted a way to get to the A-Y-P fairgrounds aboard the
Flyer, which was one of the Mosquito Fleet steamers.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2833)
Finally it was opening day and the ticket takers at the main gate were ready for the huge crowds expected to attend.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW28094)
More than 80,000 people attended the A-Y-P on that first day.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x1040a)
The A-Y-P grounds were spectacular -- just as the event planners had hoped!
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x1990)
The south entrance was designed with a mixture of Asian and Native American influences. Lightbulbs in the totem poles’
eyes could be lit up at night.
Courtesy ??? (Neg. No. ???)
The Government Building featured educational exhibits from the Smithsonian Museum that included the desk on which the Declaration of Independence was written, a replica of a Pony Express rider, and General Sherman’s battle wagon
from the Civil War.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. AYP1191)
Courtesy MOHAI (Neg. No. 1990.73.176)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2344)
The Agriculture Building was one of the most popular of the educational buildings because it featured an exhibit from every county in Washington state and
showcased their unique natural resources.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2009)
Wenatchee showed off its famous apples.
Snohomish County filled its exhibit with samples of rock from mines
around its towns.
Courtesy UW Special Collections,(Neg. No. UW8308)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. AYP002)
Alaska was well- known for its unusual but
convenient mode of transportation – the
dog sled.
But of course, Alaska’s most
impressive display was the one filled
with gold nuggets!
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW27594z)
Courtesy U
W S
pecial Collections (N
eg. No. A
YP
313)
There was a pair of huge dice. Each one was made from a
single piece of wood.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2980)
People marveled at the length
and width of the logs found in the forests here.Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. AYP312)
The New York Building was built to look just like William Seward’s home located in New York State. William Seward was the man who arranged for the United States to purchase Alaska.
This building was used to host dinners for important dignitaries who visited the A-Y-P.
Their building had an elephant made entirely of walnuts...
California promoters wanted the world to know that it had the perfect climate to grow fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
and a huge lemon made up of individual lemons.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x1741)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x1730)
The Hoo-Hoo House was built for the members of an organization of lumbermen. They decorated the exterior of the house with black cats and thought the number
nine was lucky!
The A-Y-P also featured the latest in medical advances.
Here is the Baby Incubator
exhibit. Incubators had recently been invented to help keep very small or sick babies warm and
isolated from germs. There were real babies in this exhibit!
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. AYP978)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2762)
Courtesy ??? (Neg. No. ???)
But the place most people wanted to visit was the Pay Streak!
The Pay Streak was a mining term that
described where the main gold lode was
located.
The educational portion of the World’s Fair was free with admission, but it was necessary to pay for the rides and
refreshments on the Pay Streak.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x1515)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2793)
the Scenic Railroad…
Kids and adults loved the Pay Streak attractions such as
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x1568)
the Fairy Gorge Tickler…
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. PH Coll 61.36a)
the Upside Down House…
the Ferris Wheel…
Courtesy U
W S
pecial Collections (N
eg. No. A
YP
1275)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x1530)
the Foolish House…
the Haunted Swing…
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2206)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. AYP586)
pony rides…
Prince Albert the Educated Horse…
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2958)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2724)
games of chance…
a shooting gallery…
Courtesy U
W S
pecial Collections (N
eg. No. N
owell x2230)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW27067z)
There were lots of places to eat!
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2726)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2227)
Courtesy MOHAI Neg. No. 1995.38.37.68
There were exciting places to visit
like the Arena…
the Gold Camps of Alaska…
Courtesy U
W S
pecial Collections (N
eg. No. N
owell x2725)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x1766)
and the “cultural villages” -- the Eskimo Village…
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. AYP315)
and the Igorrote Village.
Courtesy UW Special Collections Neg. No. Nowell x2165
The Igorrote Village was a carefully constructed replica of an actual village from the mountains in the Philippines inhabited by members of the Igorrote Tribe.
Today this exhibit would be controversial because it is considered inappropriate to display human beings. But it was one of the most
popular attractions. Visitors were intrigued by this culture of people who lived differently. Many wanted to have their photos taken
alongside the Igorrotes.
Courtesy U
W S
pecial Collections (N
eg. No. P
H C
oll 727.795)
Children attended the A-Y-P with their families. There were special Children’s Days when children were admitted free of charge.
Children could take tours led by school teachers. If they took three of the tours, they were given a diploma.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. PH Coll 777.Oakes 1249)
There were special events such as a cross-country car race, dirigible flights, hot-air balloon rides, a re-enactment of the Battle of Manila,
Courtesy Renton Historical Society (Image 47)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. PH Coll 779.16
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. PH Coll 779.24)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowell x2192
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. Nowel x4258)
and, of course, the parades.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW28035)
Courtesy M
OH
AI (N
eg. No. 1980.7158.2.9)
Many important dignitaries attended the A-Y-P, including officials from other countries,
celebrities, and America’s president, William Howard Taft.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW27354z)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. )
By the time it closed on October 16, 1909, more than three million people had visited the A-Y-P.
The A-Y-P was one of the few world’s fairs to make a profit.
Organizers decided to contribute a portion of the proceeds to the Anti-Tuberculosis League of King County.
The buildings that remained on the University of Washington campus were another legacy of the fair.
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW7269)
Courtesy UW Special Collections (Neg. No. UW2359)
Courtesy Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society (Neg. No.5011-30)
Courtesy Port of Seattle
Seattle’s waterfront still mirrors those important symbols from the A-Y-P logo: cruise ships to Alaska, freighters to Asia, and railroads carrying goods and people between Seattle and the
rest of the country.
Other important legacies of the A-Y-P are the hundreds of primary sources that document the fair and life in the Pacific Northwest during that time.
Photographs, postcards, publicity materials, and newspaper and magazine articles provide an opportunity to view Seattle in 1909 and interpret the growth that has been made in technology, landscape, lifestyle, and cultural diversity.
Cou
rtesy U
W S
pe
cial Co
llection
s (Ne
g. No
.AY
P99
5)
Special thanks to the following organizations and individuals for allowing the use of these A-Y-P images in this Centennial PowerPoint.
• Museum of History & Industry• University of Washington Libraries Special Collections• Seattle Municipal Archives• Port of Seattle
and personal collectors…
• Alan J. Stein• Dan Kerlee• Paul Dorpat• Patricia Filer
PowerPoint presentation created by Patricia Filer, Jennifer Ott, and Heather Dwyer